Court backlog pushes over 700 trials to 2027-2030, extending victims' wait

Data obtained by a Liberal Democrat MP shows that over 700 criminal trials have been pushed back to 2027 or later, extending the waiting period for victims. In total, 38,434 cases are set for Crown courts from next year, with 7,997 earmarked for 2028, 2,736 for 2029 and 703 for 2030, including one in December 2030. The postponements come after Andy Burnham scrapped Labour's controversial plan to curtail jury trials, a reform championed by Sir Keir Starmer and former Justice Secretary David Lammy.

Justice Secretary Alex Norris said the government will now limit judge-only trials to fraud and financial crimes. Additional reforms will give judges greater authority to punish defendants who disrupt sentencing, including cell confinement and visitation bans. These measures aim to free court capacity for the most serious cases that merit a jury.